Revealed: how holidays help you live longer

Transcription

Revealed:
how holidays
2013
help you
live longer
The Holiday
Health Report
Contents
03How a holiday may improve
your body and mind
04 which tests and why?
05 meet our experts
06–07 our chosen holidays
08–09 meet our travellers
10–11 about the entry form and
the questions we asked
results
12–13 couple one – Steven
14–15 couple one – hilary
16–17 control group one –
Mr b + mrs A
Revealed:
how holidays
help you
live longer
People returning to work after a holiday are often told by their
colleagues, ‘You look well!’ But is this really true –
do holidays have an impact on your health, beyond a tan that
quickly fades? For the first time Kuoni Travel and Nuffield
Health have clinically measured the health benefits of a break
– to provide an objective assessment of the improvements to
wellbeing generated by a holiday.
Nuffield Health and psychotherapist Christine Webber, carried
out a series of clinical and psychotherapeutic tests in order to
develop for the first time an accurate picture of how getting
away from it all can influence a whole series of key health
indicators – blood pressure, ability to recover from stress,
quality of sleep and, of course, emotional health.
18–19 couple two – ben
20–21 couple two – stacy
22–23 control group two –
Mr n + ms m
We took 12 people and gave them full health assessments and
psychological tests. We also asked them to wear heart monitors.
We gave them lifestyle and dietary advice.
24–25
26–27
28–29
We then sent half the group on holidays to either Thailand, Peru
or the Maldives. The other half of the group stayed at home.
couple three – Sarah b
couple three – Sarah d
control group three –
ms Y + Ms X
30–31 where to wind down
in the world
32–33If you can’t afford a
holiday or a health
check…some ideas
34
our brands
35
going forward
Two weeks after the holidaymakers returned, both groups had
more medicals, psychological tests and wore heart monitors for
several days.
Our study showed that the holidaymakers’ ability to recover
from stress, their sleep quality and their blood pressures were
significantly improved compared with the group who had not
had a holiday.
Resilience to Stress: The holidaymakers' ability to recover
from stress improved by 29 per cent while that of the
group that did not travel went down by 71 per cent.
h
Sleep: The holidaymakers' sleep quality improved by
34 points. Stay-at-homers' slumped 27 points.
h
Blood Pressure: Having a holiday resulted in an average
blood pressure reduction in the holidaymakers’ group of six
per cent. In comparison the average blood pressure of the
people who didn't have a holiday went up by two per cent.
Stress can result in blood pressure rises leading to increased
risk of stroke and heart attacks.
h Jay Brewer, Professional Head of Physiology,
Nuffield Health said:
“The holiday should be used to rest and recover but also to
gain perspective and plan. The health assessment should be
used to focus on the most important things and decide
where to make changes for the better.
“The control group only saw an improvement in one area
(but still not as much as the holidaymakers) – in their blood
glucose levels and this was probably through dietary changes
and exercise. We would expect to see some longer-term
improvements if they carried on implementing these things.”
Christine Webber, psychotherapist said:
“This study shows that holidays not only feel good, but that
they actually help us to be healthier.”
02
Other holidaymaker improvements included:
h Decreases in blood glucose levels, reducing risk of diabetes.
h Improved
body shape (losing weight around their middles)
which may lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.
h Improved energy levels and mood.
holiday health experiment
How a holiday improves
your body and mind
1
1 Brain & nervous system
– may improve your mood, concentration and sleep.
2 Heart
– may lower your blood pressure and so decrease
risk of heart attack and stroke.
2
4
3 Adrenal glands
6
– may reduce production of fat-storage hormone cortisol
and decrease risk of diabetes and heart disease.
3
4 Gastrointestinal system
– may increase absorption of key vitamins which may make
you feel more energised.
5 Bones
– sun can increase your vitamin D intake which is needed
for healthy, strong bones.
5
6 Reproductive system
– lowering stress hormone cortisol production may improve
your fertility and improve your libido.
“”
It was time
to put some
meat on the bone
about the holiday
feel-good factor
Here are the key findings of the report:
Steve (58) – Blood pressure reduced, quality of sleep improved (which could lead
to better weight management), stress levels went down. His mood improved and energy
levels increased.
Hilary (47) – Hilary had hypertension (diagnosed high blood pressure) and this saw a
big drop which could lower her risk of heart attack. Her stress levels went down and her
blood glucose levels went from being elevated to a healthy level which could lower her
risk of diabetes.
The matched controls for Steve and Hilary – Mr B and Mrs A:
Mr B’s stress rocketed, his sleep quality plunged and his liver enzymes on his blood test
were raised indicating he may be drinking more than is healthy.
Mrs A’s stress levels went up, her sleep went down and her mood and energy
remained stable.
Ben (30) – Blood pressure came down, mood and energy levels improved.
Stacy (29) – Enjoyed the social life of the volunteer holiday but said the noise of the
boat’s generator disturbed her sleep. This is reflected in her results.
Matched controls for Ben and Stacy – Mr N and Ms M:
Mr N – His mood and energy levels went down.
Ms M – Her stress and sleep levels remained the same.
Sarah B (46) – Her sleep, mood and energy levels improved. However despite her
stress levels going down on holiday, they went above pre-holiday levels within a fortnight
of getting home.
Sarah D (53) – Stress went down, her sleep improved, her mood and energy went up,
her blood pressure went down. Her waist/hip ratio measurement and her blood glucose
results improved which may reduce her risk of diabetes.
Matched controls for Sarah b and Sarah d – Ms Y and Ms x
Ms Y – Little variation in stress, mood and energy levels.
Ms X – Stress went up and mood and energy levels went down.
03
Which tests
and why?
“”
We chose tests that
were replicable with
good reliability
We chose a variety of tests to assess the stress levels of all participants which
consisted of six travellers and six controls (those who didn’t travel). We
wanted to measure what was happening to their bodies and minds. The tests
needed to be replicable – so that if someone else came along and did the
same tests, there was no difference in the methodology. We were also looking
for tests with good reliability. Hence we used the following:
Heart Rate Variability: Participants were asked to wear a small heart
monitor for 72 hours before the holiday, during the holiday and after the
holiday.
The control group, who didn’t have a holiday, were asked to wear the heart
monitor for 72 hours in a two-week period and then another 72 hours in
another two-week period and a third time in another 72-hour period.
The holiday participants wore the monitor for the same three days of the
week. For example, if they had a Monday to Friday job, the heart monitor was
worn Tuesday – Thursday before the holiday. Then if on holiday, they wore
the monitor Tuesday - Thursday on holiday and the same day pattern when
they came back.
Readings of the subjects’ heart rate fluctuations were determined from the
monitor. Changes in heart rate were used to see when the subjects’
sympathetic (the stressed) or parasympathetic (relaxed) nervous systems
were working.
The sympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the ‘fight or flight’
system, comes into play when we are under stress – originally designed to
help us run from danger such as a sabre-toothed animal. However, in 21st
century life, our sympathetic nervous systems can be overused (eg traffic
jams, deadlines etc). The parasympathetic nervous system is known as the
‘rest and digest’ system and comes into play when we are relaxing and
enables our body to digest our food well and recover and repair itself.
Why use a Heart Rate Variability (HRV) test?
By testing our participants’ HRV we can determine how much of their time
over a 24-hour period is spent:
h in a physiologically stressed state.
h how much time is spent in a physiologically relaxed or recovery state.
h insight into not just the duration of sleep but the quality.
h how resilient they are to stress when they do experience it.
All participants were also given a Nuffield Health 360+ Health Assessment
which involved a full medical check over by a doctor and lifestyle, fitness and
dietary advice from a Health and Wellbeing Physiologist based on the results.
All subjects attended two of these medical assessments. The holidaymakers
in the fortnight before their holiday and again two weeks after the holiday.
The non-holidaymakers had a 360+ medical in the summer and then a
follow up a month later in September.
04
The Nuffield 360+ Health Assessment included analysis of subjects’ Body
Mass Index; waist/hip ratio; cholesterol; blood glucose; full blood profile and
blood pressures. Their levels of hydration, alcohol units, caffeinated drinks,
hours of sleep, nutritional status and aerobic fitness were also examined.
Jay Brewer, Professional Head of Physiology, Nuffield Health said:
“Blood pressure levels can be affected by stress which may increase your long-term
risk of diseases such as heart disease. Your weight/hip ratio is important, because
the more barrel-shaped you are, the more likely you may be exposed to risk of
diabetes. Blood glucose levels can give a quick snap shot of diabetes risk.
“We also assessed the food diary for macronutrients – the balance between
carbohydrates, fat and protein and matched these against government guidelines.
People tend to go towards higher fat foods and quick-release simple sugars when
they are stressed. Under stress the body tends to tell us to do all the worst things for
us. Subjects were given dietary advice following a review of their food diary.”
Psychological tests: Our psychotherapist Christine Webber, devised a mood
and wellbeing inventory for the Holiday Health Experiment which was filled
out by all participants. The holiday-makers completed three sets of mood
diaries: one set for 14 days prior to the holiday, a further set during their
holiday, and the final set when they had been back in the UK for at least
a fortnight. The control group kept two sets of diaries, at least one month
apart. The self-reporting system contained 25 questions per day relating to
mood, stress, energy levels and sleep patterns, food intake and libido.
Participants had to assess their mood and energy levels three times a day
and overall stress once a day. All 12 participants also underwent a couple
of one-to-one counselling sessions with Christine Webber.
Christine Webber said: “Mood diaries are commonplace in psychotherapy.
By filling them out, patients can monitor their progress – and see a pattern to
their thoughts, moods and stress levels. Of course this sort of self-reporting is
subjective. For example, some individuals will regard long and busy days as
extremely stressful. Others – perhaps those excited about setting up their own
businesses – will see such days as productive and stimulating. In other words,
people analyse their moods and stress in their own personal way. Interestingly
over this period, the Olympic Games seemed to have a very positive and collective
effect on elevating people’s moods.”
“”
The sense of being
stressed is dependent
upon how the
individual perceives it
about CHRISTINE WEBBER,
Psychotherapist
Christine Webber is a psychotherapist,
writer and broadcaster. She has a
practice in Harley Street where she
sees clients with various difficulties
including, anxiety, eating disorders,
and problems connected with work/
life balance or relationships. She
frequently appears on TV as an expert on programmes such as
BBC Breakfast and Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff. She also writes
regularly for the health pages in national press and for two
websites: www.netdoctor.co.uk and www.TheSite.org . She has
written 11 books including How to Mend a Broken Heart and,
most recently, Too Young to Get Old, which is an inspirational
guide for today’s dynamic female baby boomer.
“”
Under stress the body
tends to tell us to do all
the worst things for us
About Jay brewer,
Professional Head of
Physiology, Nuffield Health
Jay has worked with Nuffield Health
for more than four years since
graduating from Chester University
with a 1st class MSc in Exercise and
Nutrition Sciences. During his studies
at Chester University Jay also worked
as a Dietetic Assistant at the Countess of Chester Hospital and
undertook additional modules in biochemistry which has led to
his passion for nutrition in health. This was quickly noted by
Nuffield Health and Jay was appointed as the Nutritional Expert
for Physiology. Over the last two years Jay has been influential
in launching and establishing the new breed of ‘integrated’
fitness and wellbeing sites for Nuffield Health.
These multi-practitioner sites provide a fitness offering
combined with clinical services such as nutritional therapy,
physiotherapy, private GP and clinical health screening with a
physiologist. Recently Jay has been appointed Professional
Head of Physiology and is responsible for the development of
physiology as a whole. Overall, Jay’s philosophy is that health
and wellbeing is a multifaceted issue that involves long-term
change and for us to be truly ‘healthy’ we must aim for
optimum health and wellbeing rather than just avoiding
ill health.
05
Our chosen
holidays...
“”
Would doing
something completely
different have a
beneficial impact
on wellbeing?
The holidays we road-tested and why?
We wanted to see if certain types of holiday might have more impact, or
less impact, on one’s psychological and physical well-being. Hence we
picked three completely different types of holidays to send our subjects on.
Anecdotally it has been noted that an adventure holiday to a far-flung
location can take us away from our own problems. Immersing oneself in a
new culture, food and way of life can put one’s own life in perspective while
providing plenty of new stimulation to the mind. Navigating a map with
your partner or buying food in a foreign market stall may be a bonding
experience.
Other holidaymakers tell us they like to do something useful with their
time away which is why we included a volunteer holiday. We were interested
to see if doing something completely different from the normal routine
and being useful at the same time would have a beneficial impact on our
participants’ wellbeing? We also included a fly and flop holiday in our
experiment. Just turquoise blue water, warm weather and barefoot luxury
on white sands on a far-flung island – would this help our subjects mentally
and physically? Would our subjects be able to switch off and relax? Would
the mind stop whirring?
06
The adventure holiday in Thailand
Hilary and Steve travelled with Kuoni on the ‘Ancient Thailand’ tour
with a guide escorting their small group. They visited the ancient Thailand
Kingdoms of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, the Bridge over the River Kwai,
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Sai in the far north. In Bangkok they
visited the spectacular Grand Palace and temple of the Emerald Buddha.
They took a long-tail boat ride to the floating markets of Damnoen Saduak;
and a few days later they journeyed through the ancient teak forests and
mountain scenery of northern Thailand. The Ancient Thailand tour is
managed by Asian Trails which is a leading inbound tour operator in Asia.
The helping holiday in Peru
Stacy and Ben travelled to the Peruvian area of the Amazon rainforest on a
volunteer holiday with not-for-profit eco-tourism organisation Earthwatch.
They spent two weeks with a group of scientists living on a vintage riverboat.
The expedition, starting in Iquitos, involved helping scientists collect data
on flora, fauna and wildlife numbers in the Pacayo-Samiria National
Reserve. The project was designed to find out how climate change is affecting
the biodiversity in that area and so provide information to direct
conservation efforts. This meant one day our volunteers would be counting
macaws or pink river dolphins and at nights going out in smaller boats
spotting caiman crocodiles. This holiday is offered in Kuoni’s sustainable
travel, intense experience, Ananea colletion.
The body flop holiday in the Maldives
Sarah and her friend Sarah travelled to 286-room Meeru Island Resort &
Spa, on the North Male Atoll in the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
They stayed in a Jacuzzi Water Villa with veranda right over the sparkling,
turquoise water and as the name suggests, they had their own Jacuzzi (part
of their own private open-sided bathroom). Days would be spent climbing
down their own villa’s steps to the water to snorkel among tropical fish,
exploring the island by bikes, working out and hanging out in the spa
which has its own glass floor directly over the ocean where fish swim in
full view below. This is a ‘no news, no shoes’ holiday with sand floor bars
and thatched-roofed open-sided restaurants.
07
The survey
& travellers
How we recruited the travellers
We made a call for volunteers to be considered for participation in the
Holiday Health Experiment, through articles in national and regional
newspapers, radio stations and online media and through email blasts to
Kuoni’s own database of contacts. This took place in Spring 2012.
We received almost 10,000 replies. Entrants were asked to fill out a
questionnaire and asked to write 50 words describing why they needed a
holiday. The terms and conditions for entry stated that participants would
need to be available at certain dates in summer 2012 to travel; agree to under
go medical and psychological tests and be happy to be included in publicity
after the experiment. After T&C adherence was considered, we were left with
3,000 viable entrants.
How we made our final selection
“”
The Coastguards
STEVE DUFF – Personal biography:
“I am 58 years old and live in a bungalow on Hayling Island.
I was born in Paddington London in 1954 and had a happy
childhood. I worked for British Telecom leaving in 1995.
I have also worked as a police officer, ambulance-man and on
ferries and tugs. I have also served in the Territorial Army.
I have a daughter, Sarah, who is twenty six years old and lives in
Aylesbury. I now work as a Coastguard Officer in Hampshire with
the responsibility of managing and training thirty six volunteers.
I enjoy working outdoors in a coastal environment. I have many
interests but mainly I enjoy collecting. I collect anything that has
an interest to me. My small bungalow is bursting at the seams. I
enjoy travelling and in recent years I have been to Florida,
Turkey, Tunisia and the Battlefields of France.”
Kuoni researchers then interviewed 150 of these 3,000 people by random
selection by telephone to narrow down the selection to 25. We were looking
for a wide geographical spread; a variety of age groups and different couple
constellations (eg single friends travelling together/married couples/noncohabitating couples etc). We also sought a wide variety of lifestyles and
reasons for wanting to travel as expressed in the 50-word “why I need a
holiday” section. From the 25 remaining, we picked three couples who fitted
this wide-representative spread.
Researchers from Kuoni matched the three couples to the three different
types of sample holidays and entrants travelled as the guests of Kuoni and its
partners for free.
Our researchers excluded from the final selection, people who had
previously diagnosed medical conditions, as subjects on serious medications
could skew results.
The control group who were tested but didn’t travel
Once our six travellers (three couples) had been selected, six controls (of
three couples) were sought who matched the lifestyles, age group, physical
activity, alcohol/caffeine intake of the actual travellers. These controls were
found through the Holiday Health Experiment entrants and Kuoni’s own
database. Controls gave their time for free in return for the same extensive
medical and psychological tests offered to the travellers.
HILARY DURKAN – Personal Biography:
“I am 47 with four children, daughters of 26 and 24 and sons
of 21 and 19. I work for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
as a Coastguard Officer. I have been a Coastguard for four
and a half years and love my job. I work with the Coastguard
Rescue Teams assisting people in difficulties on our coastline.
I volunteer for the RSPCA doing homing visits and I have four
cats of my own (borderline mad cat lady). I have always had
lots of pets and love animals. I have five tortoises that I have
owned for over forty years! I also enjoy archaeology, studying
ancient civilisations, visiting historic sites and learning more
about our past.”
08
Sarah Bastida (pictured left) and her
travelling companion Sarah Denning
“”
The Sarahs
SARAH BASTIDA – Personal biography:
“I am 46 years old. I’m single, and don’t have any children of
my own, but have an extended family of four nieces and
nephews through my brother and sister. I work for a facilities
management company in a global role that involves building a
strategic relationship with our clients. This role involves being
away from home, travelling to different countries and meeting
work colleagues and clients. Away from work, I enjoy spending
my social time outdoors rowing on the River Severn that runs
less than 200 metres from my house. If I can’t get on the river,
I will spend my time cycling, running or visiting the gym.
Aside from this, I enjoy spending time with friends, whether
it’s at the local pub or restaurant. I’ve also been known to have
the occasional visit to the theatre or the opera.”
SARAH DENNING – Personal Biography:
“I am 53 and trained as a midwife when I was 39, having had
a 'light-bulb' moment when I became a mother, that midwifery
was where I was meant to be. I waited 10 years to start my
training, until I had finished having my own children and they
were all at school. I was married for 23 years to an officer in
the armed forces, but have been single for the last six years.
I live in a little house in North London that I love. I have three
children of my own (two daughters, ages 24 and a teacher
and 22 and a scientist) and a son 19 (student engineer having
far too much fun at university). My eldest daughter lives at
home with me and Tilly, my 5-year-old Jack Russell. I worked
in the NHS for several years and now work for myself in the
Spire Bushey Hospital and Watford General Hospital in North
London, looking after women through pregnancy, birth and
the first few days. My working day varies wildly, from days
where I'll just have a few phone calls and queries, I may be
running an antenatal clinic with my obstetrician practice
partner, teaching parents-to-be about birth and parenthood,
looking after a woman through labour, or a mixture of all of
the above. My job means that I am on call 24/7. If someone
goes into labour at 3am, I go in to hospital, and stay with them
until the baby is safely born. This could be a couple of hours
or 12! Unpredictability is stressful in itself, as my plans have
to be changeable. Luckily I have a circle of fabulous, tolerant
friends (of whom Sarah Bastida is one), and as much of a social
life as I can manage. I exercise a bit erratically, have good gym
equipment at home, which goes through periods of good use
and dust-gathering, depending on how knackered I am! I'm
generally a positive person, pretty outgoing, but suffer from
permanently rigid shoulder muscles and bouts of insomnia,
which is not surprising really!”
“”
The Medical Writers
BENJAMIN CLARKE – Personal Biography:
“I’m 30 years old and am originally from High Wycombe in
Buckinghamshire. I live in the Peak District with my wife Stacy.
We met five years ago when we were both working in
Cambridge, and got married September 2011 at St Mawes
castle in Cornwall. I currently work for a medical
communications agency as a medical writer. I graduated from
Warwick University in 2000 with a degree in virology and, after
spending a few years working in a lab just outside Oxford, I
then moved into writing and editing. I like pretty much all kinds
of sports and enjoy playing squash. I also have an interest in
wildlife, in particular fish and other aquatic animals. I have a
fish tank that I probably spend a bit too much time looking
after, and love snorkelling and, more recently, diving.”
STACY YOUNG – Personal Biography:
“I’m 29 years old and originally from Barnsley and over the years
have lived in Sheffield, Salisbury and Cambridge, before moving
to Derbyshire two years ago as a halfway point between where
my husband and I now work. My career to date has been in
clinical research. I’ve been working at the University of Sheffield
for the last 4 years and before this I worked for the Medical
Research Council in Cambridge. Outside of work, I'm totally
addicted to Formula 1 (and Jenson Button!), I love going to
Iyenga Yoga classes and horse-riding, and try to get out for a few
runs when I have a bit of spare energy to burn off. Ben and I got
married in September 2011. We’ve got a long wish-list of places
we’d love to visit and are trying to get through as many of them
as possible in the next few years – well, as much as money and
annual-leave constraints will allow us to!”
09
How would you
describe your
everyday life?
Happy
31%
Mundane
7%
32%
Unpredictable
The questions we asked
hh
hh
hh
hh
hh
hh
hh
hh
ow would you describe your everyday life?
H
See percentage boxes for peoples responses.
How would you describe your everyday health?
hen it comes to holidays, how do you
W
think they most impact on your physical
and emotional wellbeing?
o I agree that holidays give me a
D
chance to relax?
o I agree that holidays give me a chance to
D
try something new and inspire me?
What do you value most about a holiday?
Time
Pres
52%
Busy
72%
About the
entry form
We used the entry form to find out more about British people’s attitudes
to holidays and health. Each entrant was asked to fill in a questionnaire
of eight multiple-choice questions and then tell us in 50 words why they
needed a holiday.
The emotional benefits of going away resonated the loudest with our
entrants, with 44 per cent saying it enabled them to connect with the person
they were holidaying with. Less than ten per cent agreed it gave them time
to exercise.
ow long does it take you to stop thinking/
H
worrying about work once you’ve started
a holiday?
When asked what they valued most about a holiday, the majority stated
spending time with loved ones was the biggest priority (30 per cent), while
seeing a different culture was important to 18 per cent. Trying new food was
a big attraction to just one per cent.
I nsert a value to the following statement: every
pound I spend on buying a holiday is worth xx
times to me in terms of wellbeing.
Interestingly, when asked if holidays gave them a chance to relax,
Glaswegians valued this highly (76 per cent) while just 56 per cent of
southerners in Cardiff and 58 per cent in Plymouth rated it as important.
10
sured
Sociable
27%
Exciting
15%
Varied
47%
The winning
fifty worders
“”
Medical writers, Stacy Young (29) and
Ben Clarke (30) said:
We got married in September 2011
and are now at a crossroads with tricky
decisions to make about careers, finances,
travel and babies. So many big decisions
and so little time juggling busy jobs! Time
away would hopefully give us a chance to
re-connect and get perspective. It would
be interesting to see how immersion in
a different environment and in different
activities will help shape our thinking
about our future and our wellbeing, and
even the role a holiday has to play in
making big decisions.
Challenging
50%
“”
Coastguard officer,
Hilary Durkan (47) said:
Frustrating
33%
Tiring
48%
Lonely
8%
We work in a challenging
environment, always
‘on call’ and needing to
be available for our
volunteers 24/7. I love my
job but a holiday is the
only opportunity I have to switch
off and relax. We all need time out and it
intrigues me as to how a holiday will make
me feel about my everyday stresses and
how important a break is to help me deal
with them.
“”
Midwife, Sarah Denning (53) said:
Is my wellbeing affected by my work?
Absolutely. Helping new life into the world
demands 100 per cent, 24/7, as a physical
and emotional commitment. There is no
room for an ‘off-day’ as the lives of two
people are relying on me. I can’t mother
new mothers if I don’t mother myself. It’s a
treat to have time to focus on my wellbeing.
To make this a girls’ holiday where two
great friends can chill-out together, not
having to worry about make-up and men, is
an added bonus!
11
Couple 1 results:
Steven, 58
His stress levels dropped
markedly on holiday and
remained low afterwards.
This is what Steve’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
days before, during and after his holiday showed:
Heart Rate Variability
About the participant
Name:
Steven Duff
Age:
58
lives in: Hayling Island, Hants
Job:
Coastguard (manager)
Background: Steve is in a relationship with Hilary and they
work together. He has been married twice before. He has a
grown up daughter. Previous careers include merchant navy,
police and ambulance service.
What’s happening to Steve: His work is very varied
and can range from recovering a fridge at sea to learning to
manoeuvre a new rigid inflatable boat. Sometimes he and
Hilary must deal with dead bodies. He works long hours
including some nights. He lives a short drive from work. He
sometimes finds it hard to switch off from work. He sometimes
suffers back pain. He also encounters heart burn due to a
hiatus hernia. He is allergic to dust mites and pollen and has
some arthritis. He doesn’t eat fish and drinks only tea and
coffee. He recently lost weight from 16 to 14 stone through
the Diet Chef diet.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
59%
55%
51%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
13%
17%
26%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
-57
-15
+25
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
efficiently. Ideally
above 30%.
33%
50%
67%
Nuffield Health’s Professional Head of Physiology
Jay Brewer says:
“If every result was like this it would be brilliant! We can see overall that both during and
after the holiday the amount of time spent stressed has reduced. The resilience to stress
result also shows that Steve is coping with the stress placed on his body in a much better
way, which has continued to improve even after the holiday finished. The biggest
improvements have been made in the quality of his sleep comparing pre holiday to post
holiday. I’m pleased about that because there is evidence showing that reductions in sleep
duration and quality reduce satiety hormones such as leptin. Research has shown that less
sleep or poor sleep may make us crave larger portions from more high sugar and fat
sources. Long-term improvement of sleep can have a positive impact on weight and lower
risk of common diseases such as diabetes and also heart disease which runs in his family.”
And this is what Steve’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
Family history: Heart attack (father).
Holiday we sent him on: Steve went with his partner
Hilary on a two-week escorted tour of Thailand.
psychotherapeutic results
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
4.8 = moderately
stressed
2.1 = mildly
stressed
2.1 = mildly
stressed
Mood
74
77
85
ENERGY
71
69
80
Stress levels measured on scale 1-10, 10 being the most stressed.
Mood and energy levels measured 0-100 with 100 being the best possible.
Christine Webber, psychotherapist says:
“Steve’s stress levels dropped markedly on holiday – and remained low afterwards. On my
second consultation with Steve he was in ebullient mood and was considerably more
relaxed. He told me right away that the holiday had changed him. He realised he’s “not
that old” and “I can still do things”. He loved the fact that he and Hilary didn’t go all that
way just “to sit in a hotel room” and his eyes lit up when talking about hot springs and
eating quails’ eggs. He reckons his irritability levels have dropped dramatically. His mood
improved during the holiday and continued to improve once he got home. There is no
doubt that this holiday has proved to be a healthy option for Steve and his partner Hilary.”
12
“”
How does Steve feel the tests and holiday helped him?
The medical tests from Nuffield
made me really aware of the
importance of improving my
diet – such as drinking more
water and taking exercise and the
effects these steps could have on
my longevity.
The actual trip to Thailand
has given me a real desire to
experience more adventure
rather than just holiday.
It also made me try new foods
and have new experiences.
What else has been happening with Steve?
STEVE
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
AFTER Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
28.4 Overweight
28.06
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Very high risk
High risk –
IMPROVED result,
reduction of 3cm
on waist
measurement
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
5.2 mmol/L
4.3 mmol/L
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
Uric acid
ELEVATED
Not retested
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
5.5 mmol/L
ELEVATED
5.58 –
gone up but he only
fasted for a third of
the time compared
to last time which
may have
influenced increase
118/76
OPTIMAL
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
94/70
Blood pressure
120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
“”
Nuffield Health’s Professional Head of
Physiology Jay Brewer says:
“We can’t accurately state that the effects of the holiday caused
the improvement in his physiological results (eg waist size
reduction and lower blood pressure) as it was reported that
prior to the follow-up assessment, he had an acute upset
stomach. However subjectively he said on the follow-up he felt
much less stressed and was told by his staff at work that he
looked more relaxed. After the first health assessment he
altered his diet eating less saturated fats such as burgers and
started including beneficial fats (eg flaxseeds and pumpkin
seeds) for his heart health (of which there is a family history).
He also started walking briskly for 30 minutes daily so I would
expect his physiological results to start mirroring his
psychological and HRV stress results over a period of the next
three months. We agreed that he would also concentrate on
reducing his caffeine intake and start drinking water (1.5 litres
daily) to help reduce his uric acid levels which may place him at
elevated risk of gout and kidney stones.
“Steve sometimes works nights which might be having an
effect on his weight. Often night workers fail to make up for
the lost sleep the next day which may reduce satiety hormones
which may result in eating bigger portions especially at
breakfast.”
13
Couple 1 results:
Hilary, 47
Her sleep was poor before
the holiday and almost at
an ideal level later.
This is what Hilary’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
days before, during and after her holiday showed:
Name:
Hilary Durkan
Age:
47
lives in: Hampshire
Job:
Coastguard
Background: Hilary is in a happy relationship with Steve
who she works with. They live separately. She has been married
previously and has four grown-up children.
What’s happening to Hilary: Hilary works long,
unsociable hours and her job is demanding and tough.
The upside is the variety, which she loves, and a supportive
employer. The coastguard service is undergoing restructuring,
but she is optimistic about her career. She sometimes worries
about the job prospects of one of her children.
Family history: High blood pressure, stroke and diabetes.
Holiday we sent her on: Hilary and her partner Steve
went on a two-week escorted tour of Thailand.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
64%
72%
55%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
17%
15%
22%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
+1
-17
+48
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
0
0
67%
Jay Brewer says:
“Hilary went a on a holiday with an exciting, but gruelling itinerary. Her stress levels went
up slightly during the holiday, probably because of her busy timetable. Also her sleep
wasn’t very good while away which could have been due to entering a new time zone.
However the holiday seems to be showing a very good impact two weeks after she came
back. Her stress levels went down almost ten per cent post v pre holiday. Her sleep which
was just +1 (on a scale of -100 to +100) before the holiday went to +48 afterwards which
is almost at an ideal level. Before the holiday, she wasn’t driving the part of her brain that
unconsciously drives rest and repair. Her resilience to stress before the holiday was zero
which means she was struggling to recover. However this jumped right up to 67 per cent
post holiday suggesting her holiday helped her “recharge her batteries”. Hilary’s holiday
was continuing to show positive effects in the weeks after her trip.”
And this is what Hilary’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
6 = moderately
stressed
2.5 = mildly
stressed
3.4 = mildly
stressed
Mood
80
83
87
ENERGY
80
84
85
“On Hilary’s second visit to me after the holiday, the closeness between her and Steve was
even more evident and warm than it had been on my previous visit. Hilary said in our
meeting that she feels a very strong connection to him. She felt that the holiday taught
them more about each other and cemented their feelings for each other. She loved the
holiday and the variety and stimulus of it and thought the food was terrific. Her stress
levels, even some weeks after her holiday, have gone down significantly and her mood
and energy levels have gone up which is very good news.”
14
“”
How does hilary feel the tests and holiday helped her?
I really appreciated the advice on
ways to improve my health and
proof from the second medical
that they were actually working.
I will treasure the new
experiences, tastes, sights and
sounds of the holiday forever
and loved sharing these with my
partner. The trip has made Steve
more adventurous and he
now wants to travel more which
is very beneficial to me!
What else has been happening with hilary?
Hilary
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
AFTER Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
24.7
25.6
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Very high risk
Very high risk
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
5.9 mmol/L
ELEVATED
4.3 mmol/L
IMPROVED
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
Uric acid is
elevated – could
lead to gout or
kidney stones
Not retested
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
5.1 mmol/L
ELEVATED
4.7 mmol/L –
IMPROVED
Blood pressure
*120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
*144/88 mmHg
OPTIMAL
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
128/86 mmHg
IMPROVED
“”
“Hilary’s waist/hip ratio measurement means that she may
have an elevated risk of disease, particularly diabetes.
Accumulating fat around the middle (the barrel look) is a classic
sign of weight gain from an intake of high-sugar foods, stress
and stimulants such as caffeine. Stimulants such as caffeine
encourage the release of the stress hormones adrenaline and
cortisol, which may promote weight gain. It is common for us
to see people who although not eating very much, are still
putting on weight around the middle because they are
frequently drinking tea and coffee or high sugar drinks all day
and are in a stressful job and don’t take time to relax. Hilary
could lower her waist/hip ratio by taking time to physically and
mentally relax (eg taking her annual holiday allowance which
she didn’t before this study), having a good work life balance,
exercising regularly and lowering stimulants such as high sugar
foods and caffeine.
“Hilary also has high blood pressure and high cholesterol which
can also increase her risk of heart disease. Her blood glucose
levels are also high, another risk factor for diabetes (which also
runs in her family). Reducing Hilary’s stress and lowering her
sugar and caffeine intakes is key to reducing blood pressure,
cholesterol and blood glucose levels. It is interesting that after
the holiday and starting to exercise more as recommended by
Nuffield (such as walking to work and doing pilates and zumba)
all these results improved as her body is using the blood sugar
and cholesterol for energy. We discovered on Hilary’s food diary
that she was consuming 33.2 per cent of her daily calories
through sugar (rather than the daily government recommended
guideline level of below ten per cent). This was because Hilary
was drinking fresh orange juice throughout the day. Although
orange juice has vitamins and antioxidants in it, it is high in
natural sugars that can push your blood sugar levels up as
much as drinking fizzy soft drinks. Therefore we recommended
that she dilute her juice with water, or just drink water (1-1.5
litres per day) to reduce sugar intake. Hilary’s blood results also
highlighted an elevated result for her uric acid, which may
increase her risk of gout and kidney stones long term.
Improved hydration will also help avoid Hilary’s uric acid
crystalising and this risk increasing even more.
It’s interesting to see that Hilary’s body mass index went up
slightly after the holiday. However during her repeat health
assessment she says she really enjoyed the food on holiday and
admitted indulging in larger portion sizes. However, when we
weighed her on the second visit she was wearing a heavy
uniform which may have skewed results.
“Her blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose drops are
corresponding with the reductions in stress we saw on her
Heart Rate Variability tests which is good for her long-term
health.”
15
Control group 1:
Mr B, 63
There has been a deep
regression in his results and he
is in a high state of stress.
This is what Mr B’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
days on separate occasions showed:
About Mr B
About Mr b (age 63):
Mr B runs his own business as a property investor. He has a
grown-up son. He is in a relationship with Mrs A, but although
they spend much time together, they maintain their own
separate homes. He finds his job and financial pressures
relating to the economy stressful and has concerns about his
adult son. He relaxes by playing the piano.
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
52%
46%
80%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
33%
30%
4%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
18
62
-97
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
67%
100%
0%
Jay Brewer says:
“We are not sure what has been happening in Mr B’s life between his second and third
readings. After the first reading there is an improvement in quality of sleep and resilience
to stress. However on his third reading, there has been a deep regression in his results
and he is in a high state of stress. It looks like he has had challenging circumstances
between readings but we are confident this is an accurate report.”
And this is what Mr B’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
7.1 = highly stressed
Mood
72
72
ENERGY
71
70
“Mr B’s stress levels increased somewhat over the late summer and early autumn.
They were appreciably higher than Steve’s and unlike Steve’s they rose over the period
in question rather than dipped.”
Nuffield Health’s Professional Head of Physiology Jay Brewer on
Mr b’s medical readings:
“Mr B’s body mass index went up from 27.3 to 28.2 between the first medical and the
second which may indicate he has high levels of stress hormones circulating in the body.
His other readings stayed pretty static. However, the doctor noticed at the first medical
that the blood results showed that he has high levels of gamma GT (liver enzymes) that
may be linked to high alcohol intake and may indicate he is at risk of liver disease. Many
people use alcohol as a tool to relax, but it does the opposite to the body and is in fact a
stimulant.”
16
Control group 1:
Mrs A, 54
Her stress levels increased
considerably over the
summer and early autumn.
This is what Mrs A’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
45%
44%
58%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
35%
15%
18%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
87
17
-28
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
100%
33%
0%
About Mrs A
About Mrs A (age 54):
Mrs A is a head teacher. She is divorced and has two grown-up
children. She is in a relationship with Mr B but they do not live
together. She describes herself as “fit as a flea”.
Jay Brewer says:
“We can see that there has been a significant period of stress between the first and
second measurements – probably to do with Mrs A starting a new job. Although the
amount of time spent being in a stressed state has stayed similar, her time in recovery has
reduced. Her sleep quality has dramatically worsened from an excellent score of 87 to just
-28, which is well below the optimal range. These readings tell me that Mrs A is not
coping or recovering from stress well and this may have an impact on her long-term
management of weight and risk of disease.”
And this is what Mrs A’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
5.3 = moderately stressed
Mood
74
73
ENERGY
70
71
“Mrs A’s stress levels increased considerably over the summer and early autumn.
Her results contrast markedly with those of Hilary, who – with the benefit of a holiday –
recorded a drop in stress over the period in question.”
Mrs A’s medical readings:
“Mrs A’s readings stayed almost identical on the first and second consultations. At the
follow up she said she had implemented some dietary recommendations following the
first meeting such as quitting alcohol. This was a positive step as 23 per cent of her daily
calories had been coming from wine. Although this hasn’t had an immediate effect on her
results it may improve her health in the long term. We know that toxins in alcohol cause
damage to the body and may increase the risk of cancer in women.”
17
Couple 2 results:
Ben, 30
His blood pressure dropped
after the holiday indicating
lower stress hormones.
This is what Ben’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
days before, during and after his holiday showed:
Name:
Ben Clarke
Age:
30
lives in: Glossop, Derbyshire
Job:
Medical writer
Background: He met Stacy when they both worked in
Cambridge. She then found a good job up north which is near
her family and the couple moved to Derbyshire half way
between both of their jobs. They had been married almost a
year when they went to Peru.
What’s happening to Ben: He runs once a week and
sleeps well. He works 10-hour days as standard plus
commuting. He described 2012 as “really hard” and his family
lives far away in Cornwall. There are big decisions to be made
with his new wife Stacy regarding buying a house and whether
to start a family.
Family history: Prostate cancer, thyroid disease
and high cholesterol.
Holiday we sent him on: Volunteer holiday in Peruvian
Amazon rainforest.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
57%
51%
59%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
24%
29%
27%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
77
88
87
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
67%
100%
67%
Jay Brewer says:
“Ben made improvements on the holiday in recovery. His sleep quality and resilience all
made fantastic improvements. But a couple of weeks after the holiday, only a few minor
improvements could be seen and readings returned to pre-holiday readings, except sleep
quality which remained ten points above pre-holiday recordings and almost identical to
the on-holiday readings which is good news. Post holiday Ben seems to have gone back
into the same stressful lifestyle. His stress levels were slightly higher than before. Ben
works long hours and may not have been able to implement some recommended lifestyle
changes eg more exercise and increasing his intake of fruit and vegetables yet. We have
recommended he starts running twice a week instead of once which may help his health
longer term. A holiday can help while you are away, but to have the impact over the
longer term, you need to implement some of the changes you may have planned in your
life when you get back. Some people very quickly move back to their old mindset. Another
point is that stress is a very individual thing. It’s not about how much stress, but how
someone perceives that stress.
“So in the case of Ben and Stacy, we saw that Ben’s resilience to stress scores went
67-100-67. However Stacy’s resilience scores were lower to start with and then dropping
to 0 after the holiday. It may have been that a volunteer holiday was a better option for
Ben but for Stacy a different type of holiday may have been needed.”
And this is what Ben’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
“”
“Ben’s stress levels dropped significantly on holiday – and
though they rose again slightly, they did not reach his preholiday rating. Ben’s mood levels rose slightly on holiday, and
remained almost at their new level on his return to the UK. His
energy levels rose on holiday and remained at the same level
afterwards. Ben has shown resilience in dealing with the
considerable changes in his life – and he also responded well to
the conditions and challenges he met on the holiday. So I hope
that he can work his way through the current uncertainties and
find true and enduring happiness.”
18
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
5.4 = moderately
stressed
3.6 = mildly
stressed
4.6 = moderately
stressed
Mood
53
72
68
ENERGY
55
67
68
“”
How does Ben feel the tests and holiday helped him?
The medical tests reassured me
that my cholesterol is normal
(my family has a history of
high levels). It was useful to have
my diet reviewed and learn
that I may benefit from eating
more nuts and seeds for the good
oils in them.
The holiday enabled me to spend
time with interesting people –
volunteers and scientists from
Peru. I enjoyed seeing wildlife in
such an unspoilt habitat.
What else has been happening with Ben?
Ben
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
22.6
22.1
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Low risk
Low risk
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
5 mmol/L
5 mmol/L
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
No significant
results
No significant
results
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
4.2 mmol/L
4.91 mmol/L
Blood pressure
*120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
116/82
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
108/76
AFTER Holiday
“”
“Ben’s blood pressure started off in the recommended range
but this had dropped after the holiday which indicates lower
circulating stress hormones. This illustrates you don’t have
to do a beach holiday to see benefits to health. For Ben, a
volunteer holiday improved his quality of sleep and his stress
hormones may have dropped which affected his blood
pressure.”
19
Couple 2 results:
Stacy, 29
A beach holiday may have been
a better choice for Stacy.
This is what Stacy’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
Name:
Stacy Young
Age:
29
lives in: Glossop, Derbyshire
Job:
Medical writer
Background: When they went to Peru, Stacy had been
married to Ben about a year. They met when both working in
Cambridge. She moved to a job up north near her family. The
couple moved to Derbyshire half way between their two jobs.
What’s happening to Stacy: Is vegetarian and has
long-running insomnia. Exercises frequently – running, yoga
and horse-riding.
Family history: Cardiomyopathy – Stacy has been tested
and has not inherited it.
Holiday we sent her on: Volunteer holiday living on
board a boat on the Amazon with scientists in the Peruvian
rainforest.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
58%
66%
72%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
11%
12%
7%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
-40
-23
-54
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
33%
33%
0%
Jay Brewer says:
“It seems that Stacy found her holiday stressful. Her time spent in a stressed state
increased on holiday. Returning back from holiday unfortunately she had negative results
compared to pre holiday and regressed showing she is more stressed, less relaxed,
sleeping poorly and not handling stress well.
“This would make a case for using the Heart Rate Variability (HRV) test to help determine
which are the best holidays for a particular person. Stacy’s husband Ben seems to have
found the volunteer holiday useful but Stacy started off the holiday already not sleeping
well and her ability to recover scores were one of the lowest in the whole study.
Remember that stress is one’s perceptions of an event and that every individual perceives
stress differently. In addition, even positive events such as holidays can be stressful and
these should be chosen carefully based on your current needs.
“HRV data can be really useful and could determine what form of holiday one chooses.
Stacy’s husband Ben started the survey one of the healthiest holidaymakers in the survey.
Perhaps a combination of a beach holiday (for Stacy) with optional activities for Ben,
might be an option in the future.”
And this is what Stacy’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
“”
“Stacy reckons that her physical health is good but she sleeps
poorly and often wakes early and finds that her mind is
whirring with thoughts which prevent her sleeping further. This
symptom often indicates that a person has quite ‘low mood’.
Certainly, at present, Stacy has pressing and potentially lifechanging decisions to make – which are undoubtedly weighing
her down emotionally. From talking to her and analysing her
diaries, I honestly feel that there may be insufficient protein
and iron in her diet. For example, I notice that she often
lunches on fruit alone (three satsumas might be typical).
It is noticeable that her energy levels dip during the second
part of most days, and I don’t think the link with her diet can
be ignored in this respect.”
20
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
6.7 = moderately
stressed
3.8 = mildly
stressed
4.5 = moderately
stressed
Mood
57
68
61
ENERGY
57
55
52
“”
How does Stacy feel the tests and holiday helped her?
The beneficial effect of the
health assessments was
having confirmation that we
are both in very good health.
The most significant thing I
gained from the holiday was that
I now realise the importance of
being able to have some time each
day that is entirely peaceful and
quiet. The noise of the generators
on the boat was relentless, I found
it very difficult to think clearly.
What else has been happening with Stacy?
Stacy
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
21.4
21.5
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Moderate
Low risk
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
5.4 mmol/L
4.4 mmol/L
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
No significant
results
No significant
results
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
3.6 mmol/L
4.9 mmol/L
Blood pressure
*120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
108/88
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
112/80
AFTER Holiday
“”
“Stacy has long-standing insomnia and it is very difficult to say
what is causing that. Stacy didn’t fill in the online food diary so
we didn’t have the information to analyse it.
“I would probably refer on in a case like this to a Nutritional
Therapist to help optimise her vegetarian diet as a link has
been identified between reduced levels of particular amino
acids and insomnia. I would then couple this referral with a
referral to her GP for a sleep clinic.”
21
Control group 2:
Mr N, 27
Mr N is a very rare example
and his health assessment should
reinforce good behaviour.
This is what Mr N’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
About Mr N
About Mr N (age 27):
Mr N works in the ambulance service and is the partner
of Ms M. He has recently had a promotion at work and he
works long hours. He finds working night shifts leave him
seriously fatigued. He exercises frequently and plays hockey
and volleyball and does triathlons. He is very keen to settle
down and have a family.
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
24%
25%
18%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
51%
46%
59%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
63
53
100
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
100%
100%
100%
Jay Brewer says:
“Mr N has by far the best results of anyone in the whole experiment. This guy doesn’t feel
stress and he’s extremely good at recovery. He has fantastic ability to have a deep, long
sleep. He is particularly fit and his body is very good at recovery which means the
parasympathetic nervous system (the one sometimes known as the ‘rest and digest’
system) works very well. His results showed improvements in time spent in a physiological
stressed state reducing, time spent in a physiological relaxed state increasing and sleep
quality improving and his reliance to stress remaining static.”
And this is what Mr N’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
Mood
76
67
ENERGY
64
58
“Mr N is clearly feeling the pressure of his recent promotion and the long hours – in
particular night shifts and he gets fatigued. Mr N and his partner Ms M are both very
resilient. They are young and currently bounce back. However, they both told me they are
questioning how long they can manage erratic shift work and I think they are right to
question this in relation to their health in the long-term.”
Mr n’s medical readings:
“Mr N’s results are excellent and all in the healthy range. He has a body mass index of 21
and has no area he needs to improve on. Mr N is a very rare example and his health
assessment should reinforce good behaviour. He deserves a gold star. His main action
points should be to maintain, maintain, maintain.”
22
Control group 2:
Ms M, 33
Her results remained steady
which you would expect with
no change in work pattern.
This is what Ms M’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
56%
51%
55%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
33%
35%
29%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
67
73
67
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
67%
67%
67%
About Ms M
About Ms M (age 33):
Ms M and her partner Mr N both work in the ambulance
service. She has decisions to make about motherhood and
whether to save for a bigger house and about how her career
may go in the future. She has travel plans she’d like to fulfil
before becoming a mother. She works shifts including many
nights which wreak havoc with her sleep and attempts
to eat well.
Jay Brewer says:
“Ms M’s results remained steady which you would expect in someone with no change in
their work or life pattern.”
And this is what Ms M’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
4 = mildly stressed
3.4 = mildly stressed
Mood
62
70
ENERGY
56
64
“I feel that Ms M’s ratings rose in the main because she is clearly finding her relationship
more and more supportive and stable. Her mood also improved considerably because she
and her partner booked a holiday to India. They feel that the planning of this holiday has
given them a much needed ‘lift’.”
Ms M’s medical readings:
“Ms M’s readings are very static results. She was very healthy in the initial assessment
(eg body mass index 21.6 and all readings in the normal range). However, she said she was
worried about heart disease in her family and so we recommended she follow the
Mediterranean diet (lean meats, fish, pulses, whole grains, nuts, seeds, good fats such as olive
oil and a wide range of fruit and vegetables). She said she wanted to have less body fat and
get fitter. She agreed to exercise four times a week instead of three, doing swimming and
interval training. She followed the advice and in six weeks her body fat fell by two per cent.
She lowered her sugar intake by reducing the number of bananas she was eating (they are a
high-sugar fruit) and replace them with nuts and other fresh fruits. This is a very good case
where a patient has taken on board our comments which have resulted in a very positive
impact. It shows that even people who start off in good health can reach an optimal level.”
23
Couple 3 results:
Sarah B, 46
Long-term poor sleep quality may
increase risk of heart disease.
This is what Sarah’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
Name:
Sarah Bastida
Age:
46
lives in: Bewdley, Worcestershire
Job:
Global account manager for a facilities management
company
Background: Sarah is single. She became friends with
Sarah Denning when they first met on a previous holiday.
What’s happening to Sarah: She works a 65-hour
week plus spends two hours commuting each way. She says
she’s responsible for her punishing working schedule, not the
company. She exercises four hours a week and loves rowing.
She says being bored makes her stressed.
Family history: High blood pressure.
Holiday we sent her on: Sarah travelled with her friend
Sarah Denning to an island in the Maldives. This holiday is the
longest she’s ever had.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
46%
42%
61%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
23%
37%
22%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
29
88
39
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
50%
100%
33%
Jay Brewer says:
“Sarah went on a holiday that was relaxing and easy going. Her sleep quality enormously
improved during the holiday to a score of 88, one of the best results from the entire
experiment. Sarah’s sleep quality also managed to remain higher than pre-holiday values
following the post-holiday retest. This highlights the affect that stress has on sleep. When
we are stressed or anxious our body keeps its foot on the gas and this ultimately limits
our chances of progressing into the deepest stages of sleep, leaving us feeling tired even
though we may have slept for a long time. Long-term poor sleep quality may increase risk
of heart disease.
“Sarah’s ability to cope and recover from stress made a significant improvement during
her holiday by improving from a score of 50 to the top score of 100. However, these
changes were short lived and after her holiday these dropped to a score of 33. Her stress
levels rose after the holiday to above pre-holiday levels. This shows that being on a
relaxing holiday results in rapid and dramatic improvements to the way the body
physiologically manages stress but if we return back to the same lifestyle as before such
as Sarah’s 65-hour working week, this won’t equate to long-term health.”
“”
“Sarah told me the holiday made her realise she must make
more quality time for herself. She came back with a renewed
determination to find a life partner and she says the first step
in doing that is to work more realistic hours. Sarah’s ratings
post holiday were not that different from those before the
vacation – except that her evening mood and energy levels
were considerably higher.
“Her stress level dropped dramatically on holiday, but has risen
again post vacation. I hope that by making various changes
– changes which she decided upon in the Maldives – she can
emerge a more relaxed and healthy person than she has been
for a very long time. She says she has learned a lot of lessons
from the Holiday Health Experiment. So I hope that she can
now put them into practice.”
24
And this is what Sarah’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
3.6 = mildly
stressed
1.2 = mildly
stressed
4.4 = moderately
stressed
Mood
71
71
75
ENERGY
65
66
70
“”
How does Sarah feel the tests and holiday helped her?
The food diary helped me
understand my diet, particularly
fat and salt. The stress test made
me realise I don’t take time out to
relax on a day-to-day basis.
The holiday helped me bond my
friendship with Sarah. I had
time away from work to reflect
on other areas of my life. And
I had an opportunity to sleep!
Anything more than six hours
a night is rare.
What else has been happening with Sarah?
Sarah
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
21.59
22.1
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Moderate risk
Moderate risk
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
4.8 mmol/L
4 mmol/L
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
No significant
results
No significant
results
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
4.1 mmol/L
4.19 mmol/L
Blood pressure
*120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
104/70 mmHg
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
110/70 mmHg
AFTER Holiday
“”
“Some of Sarah’s results increased a very nominal amount after
the holiday including her weight, waist size, cholesterol and
blood pressure. However, her blood glucose readings did make
a small improvement but were in normal ranges to begin with.
It is more than likely that these results are showing natural
day-to-day variance and are too small to draw conclusions
from. However, Sarah did state that during her holiday her
exercise had dropped off and for someone so active we would
expect a small amount of weight gain as she is being sedentary
for a prolonged period. Nevertheless, this may be just what
Sarah needed as although exercise is healthy it can become a
negative stress if placed onto an already stressed body. With
Sarah’s working hours it may be wisest to take time to rest and
focus on sleep and diet while on holiday.
“Sarah went from working a 65-hour week plus commuting
then went on the most relaxed holiday in the experiment. But
she then went back to the same routine as before working 65
hours, commuting and rowing. I would focus on her work life
balance.”
25
Couple 3 results:
Sarah D, 53
Eating more protein plus
resting on holiday helped
her sleep quality.
This is what Sarah’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
Name:
Sarah Denning
Age:
53
lives in: Bushey, Herts.
Job:
Private midwife
Background: Has three children age 19, 22 and 24.
What’s happening to Sarah: Has had high cholesterol
since age 43. Has insomnia and worries. Gets exercise walking
her dog daily plus twice week gym. Has abdominal bloating.
Has caffeinated and sugary drinks throughout the day and
sometimes chews nicotine gum though gave up smoking 20
years ago. Recurrent neck and back pain. Works a 55-hour
week in shifts. Says she gets mood swings and feels irritable.
Family history: High cholesterol, heart disease and
osteoporosis.
Holiday we sent her on: Sarah Denning and her
friend Sarah Bastida went on a beach holiday to an island in
the Maldives.
Before
During
AFTER
Stress
70%
47%
57%
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
14%
28%
29%
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
-26
40
42
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
33%
67%
67%
Jay Brewer says:
“This is a great list of positive results. In particular her sleep has really improved, not only
on the holiday but two weeks later she is continuing to do well here. This shows that
Sarah used the holiday to rest and recover but she has also been implementing some of
our recommendations to manage her sleep. We agreed with her that she would stop
chewing nicotine gum and reduce her caffeine and sugar intakes. These are all stimulants
which can make us alert and interfere with sleep. We also gave her some wind down
techniques to prepare her for sleep and she has been using a meditation app to help. We
also recommended that she include protein at her evening meal, in particular proteins
such as turkey, chicken and nuts containing the amino acid tryptophan which is needed to
make sleep hormone melatonin.”
And this is what Sarah’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
Pre-Holiday
On Holiday
Post-Holiday
Stress
4.8 = moderately
stressed
1.3 = mildly
stressed
4.8 = moderately
stressed
Mood
61
76
73
ENERGY
43
50
57
“Sarah clearly had no idea just how exhausted she was until she got away and started to
relax. She told me that she was amazed at her capacity to sleep on holiday, once she ‘let
go’. One thing about having so much sleep was that she realised that she no longer
wants to be quite so ‘hands-on” in her midwifery business. Currently, she delivers babies
during the night several times a week. She is setting up a new web site to give masses of
information to pregnant mothers and this may be the way forward for her. The holiday
gave Sarah time to reflect and make plans for the future. Her mood and energy ratings are
significantly higher in her last lot of diaries – so it appears that her holiday has revitalised
her. Her stress rating dropped slightly on holiday but has crept up again since. Clearly,
with her new project coming to fruition, she is overwhelmed with work. Once the website
is launched she may be able to take a few more deep breaths, and relax.”
26
“”
How does Sarah feel the tests and holiday helped her?
The health check led me to
change my exercise and
learn how to improve the
quality of my sleep.
The holiday location was perfect
for me. Being in the Maldives
made me slow right down.
There were few distractions,
which made me relax, swim and
empty my mind. I also slept a lot!
Best ever things? No laptop,
no traffic and no noise. It was one
of the most therapeutic holidays
I have ever had.
What else has been happening with Sarah?
Sarah
Reference
ranges =
healthy levels
Before Holiday
Body mass
index
18.5–25
21.3
21.3
Waist/Hip Ratio
The lower the
difference in
number between
the waist size and
hip size, the
higher the risk of
diabetes.
Barrel shape =
diabetes risk.
Moderate risk
Low risk
Fasting blood
glucose
Below 5.8 mmol/L
5.3 mmol/L
3.8 mmol/L
Any significant
blood results?
Red and white
blood cells are
examined for a
range of markers.
No significant
results
No significant
results
Cholesterol
Below 5 mmol/L
6.4 mmol/L
6.56 mmol/L
(only fasted for 4
hours, not preferred
12 like first time)
Blood pressure
*120/80 mmHg
or less = optimal
110/72 mmHg
*higher number is
systolic, lower is
diastolic
100/70 mmHg
AFTER Holiday
“”
“It’s interesting that Sarah’s body mass index has stayed the
same, but her waist size has gone down meaning that her risk
of diabetes has reduced from moderate to low. This does not
surprise me because we know that Sarah’s sleep has improved
and she has cut down on nicotine, caffeine and sugar. Lack of
sleep plus habitual use of stimulants can lead to increased
levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a
fat storage hormone that typically adds fat to the middle of the
body and face.
“Another area to note is that her blood sugar levels have gone
from 5.3 mmol/L pre-holiday on a 12-hour fast to 3.8 mmol/L
post-holiday on a four-hour fast. This means her risk of
diabetes and heart diseases has gone down. This is a dramatic
reduction and would explain her reduced waist size. Reducing
her stress levels via a holiday combined with reducing sugar
and caffeine and eating a low glycemic index diet with protein
at each meal, as we recommended, may have helped.
Although the cholesterol reading doesn’t look lower, we did
check the different types of fats in her blood and noted that her
LDL, the bad cholesterol, has actually come down which is good
news. This has probably been achieved through her reducing
sugar and saturated fat in her diet. Heart disease runs in
Sarah’s family, so this is particularly pleasing to see.”
27
Control group 3:
Ms Y, 47
Her waist/hip ratio showed a
‘very high’ risk of diabetes
at both assessments.
This is what Ms Y’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
About Ms Y
About Ms Y (age 47):
Ms Y is a sales manager and she lives with her partner who
works from home and does the cooking. She leaves at 6am
daily in her car and goes to the gym for a swim on the way to
work. She works long hours and spends much time driving to
clients and commuting to work. She is a light sleeper. She has
had irritable bowel syndrome for 25 years. She drinks fizzy
drinks and ten cups of a tea a day.
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
68%
unavailable
unavailable
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
12%
unavailable
unavailable
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
-13
unavailable
unavailable
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
33%
unavailable
unavailable
Jay Brewer says:
“We only have one set of readings for this participant. But what we can see is someone
who is spending time stressed and not getting much sleep and the sleep she has is not
good quality. She isn’t getting enough recovery which could all impact her physiology
long term.”
And this is what Ms Y’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
Mood
75
74
ENERGY
66
61
“Her various ratings did not vary much between first and second diaries. However, I did
notice her mood and energy levels were lower in the afternoons and the evenings in
September than they had been in August, which she describes as ‘a quiet month’. My
perception of her is that though she is often very busy and is away from home for about
12 hours a day, she actually manages stress very well. She was not pleased with her
Nuffield assessment. She insists she is 95/100 healthy, so she was clearly stung by being
told at Nuffield that she is ‘obese’.”
Ms y’s medical readings:
“Ms Y’s body mass index was 29.4 at the first medical and 29.04 on the second which is
high. Her waist/hip ratio showed a ‘very high’ risk of diabetes at both assessments. After
the first assessment we agreed with Ms Y that she would increase the intensity of her
exercise, reduce her sugar intake (particularly by cutting down on fizzy drinks) and reduce
caffeine (which isn’t good for her IBS). At the follow up a month later she said she had
been very busy and struggled to implement the action points. She said she didn’t want to
change her tea intake.”
28
Control group 3:
Ms X, 57
Her mood went down and
her energy levels dropped.
This is what Ms X’s Heart Rate Variability tests wearing a heart monitor for three
first reading
Second reading
third reading
Stress
63%
59%
unavailable
Recovery –
ideally above 30%
16%
20%
unavailable
Sleep – important
to repair body and
mind. Ideally above
50 (range goes
from -100 to +100)
8
33
unavailable
Resilience to
stress – body’s
ability to manage
stress and recover
above 30%.
33%
0%
unavailable
About Ms X
About Ms X (age 57):
Ms X has been married for more than 30 years and has three
children in their thirties who she gives a lot of support to. She
is an experienced counsellor and works for a charity which is
undergoing many changes right now. Her father has terminal
cancer and her husband has health issues. She is a light sleeper.
Jay Brewer says:
“The biggest improvement between the first and second reading can be seen in sleep. But
her resilience to stress went down from 33 per cent to zero. I would focus on what she is
doing to relax to make that more effective.”
And this is what Ms X’s psychotherapeutic results looked like:
first reading
second reading
Stress
Mood
72
69
ENERGY
69
61
“Ms X’s stress levels increased a great deal between the summer and early autumn. Her
mood levels went down and her energy levels dropped. She knows that her current
anxiety cannot be good for her own mental health. She said to me: “I need a break. I can
hear myself saying all the right things to my clients, but I can’t seem to help myself at the
moment.” She did take a week off within days of our meeting. She said the diaries really
got her to face up to her life as it really is.”
Ms X’s medical readings:
“We have seen a drop in Ms X’s body mass index from 23.4 to 22.9 and her waist
measurement went down as did her glucose levels (from 5.5 mmol/L to 3.4 mmol/L).
It’s obvious that she implemented more exercise and focused on reducing her saturated
fat and sugar intakes which will have a positive impact on her risk of diseases. Her blood
glucose reduction indicates her body is more effectively using energy since increasing
exercise (cycling three times a week and exercising on a stepper).”
29
Bellagio, Las Vegas,
USA
Tanque Verde Ranch,
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Where to
wind down
in the world
Secrets Capri Riviera
Cancun, Mexico
Keyonna Beach,
Antigua
St. James's Club
Morgan Bay, St Lucia
Hilton Papagayo
Resort, Costa Rica
Earthwatch's Amazon
Riverboat, Iquitos
Explora Atacama,
Chile
Inca Trail
Experience, Peru
copacabana palace
rio de janeiro, brazil
Go Beyond
Your next holiday will be all about
discovering the unknown and
exploring new worlds. You want
real-life face-to-face encounters with
foreign cultures - broadening your
horizons and bringing home rich
experiences.
Explore & Discover
Your next holiday will be dedicated
to discovering our world: admiring
amazing scenery, visiting famous
buildings and going to places that
everyone dreams of seeing once in
their life.
Mind, Body & Soul
If your next holiday is going to be
anything, it's going to be relaxing
and restoring your inner balance:
letting yourself well and truly go,
and pampering your senses in
exclusive and stylish surroundings.
Away from it all
The thing that matters most to you
on your next holiday is relaxing and
taking a break from routine. What's
important is being able to switch off
completely and recharge the
batteries – and the less you have to
worry about, the better!
30
Time together
Your next holiday will be totally
devoted to your partner: taking time
for each other, enjoying familiar
feelings in new surroundings and
rediscovering yourselves.
Boutique Hotel Beau-Site
Fitness & Spa, Switzerland
Incredible China,
Escorted Tour, China
Villa Sant'Andrea,
Sicily
Oberoi Wildflower
Hall, Shimla, India
park hyatt abu dhabi
hotel & villas, abu dhabi
Atlantis The
Palm, Dubai
Majestic Burma,
Escorted Tour, Burma
La Sultana Marrakech,
Morocco
Meeru Island Resort
& Spa, Maldives
Under Kenyan Skies,
Mobile Camping, Kenya
Kata Thani, Phuket,
Thailand
Maafushivaru,
Maldives
Lake Manyara Tree
Lodge, Tanzania
banyan tree,
seychelles
Wonders of Namibia
Self Drive, Namibia
Great Barrier Reef,
Australia
Emeraude Beach
Attitude, Mauritius
Cape Town,
South Africa
From experienced travellers looking to Go Beyond to wellbeing escapes for those needing to rest Mind,
Body and Soul, Kuoni can craft your perfect holiday. On these pages, these icons and flags will help you
easily find the hotels and tours that we think are tailored to your personal needs.
For families
Holidays
with friends
Sun & Socialising
I want it all
Your children will be with you on
your next holiday. It's important to
you that they can play with new
friends and have fun discovering
exciting things. After all, only when
your children are happy can you
truly lie back and relax.
You want to live life to the full on
your next holiday: sunbathing,
relaxing and hitting the nightlife
– be it with your partner, friends or
new acquaintances. And all that in
some cool and happening place.
You want to spend your next holiday
in an informal setting with a group
of people who are close to your
heart. Relaxing, devoting time to
interesting activities, sharing your
passions and even a little adventure:
they're all on the cards.
Your next holiday must cater for
all tastes: calm and relaxation,
entertaining activities, sightseeing,
culture and shopping. In other
words, you won't be happy unless
there's something for everyone to do.
31
If you can’t afford a
holiday right now,
what could you do to
improve your health?
“”
Plan a day doing
something as a
family that you don’t
normally do
CHRISTINE WEBBER, Psychotherapist
Here psychotherapist Christine Webber offers
6 tips on how to look after your mental health
without taking a holiday.
1. Sleep more
Often when people go on holiday, they have no idea how tired they are – till
they stop. They usually report having real, deep and nourishing sleep on
vacation. This is very energising and invigorating. So, if you want to feel
better, work out how you can grab more ‘shut-eye’ several times a week. It
might help too if you make your bedroom a place you really want to be. So,
borrow some tips from your favourite holiday hotel and transform your
bedroom into a luxury hideaway.
2. Engage in new activities
One of the huge bonuses of a holiday is that you get a greater sense of
perspective by seeing how other people live and cope in circumstances very
different from your own. Clearly, it’s hard to replicate that back in the UK.
But if – perhaps at weekends – you can sometimes engage in activities that
are very different from your weekday ritual, you will get that sense of tapping
into a different world and feeding your soul and lifting yourself out of the
humdrum that we value so much while we’re on vacation. Good ways to do it
are to: walk by the sea; climb a mountain; visit a free museum; enjoy theatre;
watch a DVD of David Attenborough or Simon Reeve on their exotic travels.
3. Go on a date
Holidays often bring couples closer together. But with some effort, you can
organise more quality time together on a regular basis. Try having a ‘date’
once a week. If you have children, get a babysitter. If need be, form a
babysitter circle so that you and other parents all help each other out, free,
on a rota basis. Your date needn’t be an expensive one. But it should give you
time to re-connect as a couple, and to have some fun and romance.
4. Sit quietly and make a list
We know from past Kuoni research that the majority of people make lifechanging decisions on holiday. Something about the unaccustomed time and
space enables us to face up to problems and to vow to change them. But if
you can’t get away, why not sit quietly one day and list those aspects of your
life that you’d like to alter. Then pick the one that feels most important, and
work out – step by step – how you could gradually effect some changes that
would help you to solve this particular difficulty.
5. Have a computer-free day
Most people report that holidays give them a chance to ‘switch off’ their
brains. This is much harder at home than it is when we are away. But why not
ban all thoughts of work for at least one whole day per weekend? This means
no worrying about the boss, no marking maths homework if you’re a teacher,
and no work on your laptop connected to your employment. Your weekend
will be much more of a rest if you give your mind a complete break from
what you do on most other days of the week.
6. Do things together as a family
Holidays often encourage us to try family activities that we don’t do at home.
Often these pursuits help us to relax and laugh – and bring out a different
side to us. So, plan a day doing something as a family that you don’t normally
do – whether it’s beach volleyball, swimming, canoeing, rock climbing or
maybe even dancing, or Karaoke.
32
Nuffield Health suggests a range of free options to
keep your health in check…
1. Come to one of our events
Attend one of our 650 Meet Our Experts free events for the general public
each year. We advise those who attend on how to boost their wellbeing
through areas such as nutrition, fitness and energy. At these there is also free
access to physiotherapists and nutritionists. Spinal mouse back scans (a large
computer mouse rolled over the back to generate a 3D image to give you
specific information about your back, instabilities or curvatures) and peak
flow breath tests (to help calculate your lung age) are also on offer for free.
For more information:
www.nuffieldhealth.com/fitness-and-wellbeing/meet-our-experts
2. Ask your GP for tests
Some of the tests used in this experiment are available for free through your
local NHS GP’s surgery – eg blood pressure, blood glucose levels and cholesterol.
3. Work out your bmi &
waist/hip ratio online
You can check out your own body mass index and waist/hip ratio through
these pages:
http://www.nuffieldhealth.com/healthmap
http://www.nuffieldhealth.com/about-us/waist-size
4. Eat slower
Several of the participants in this experiment were stressed and often eating
on the run. They were advised to switch off phones and computers and sit at
a table and chew food properly. This may increase absorption of vitamins
and minerals in the body which may help you feel more energised and boost
your immune system. It costs nothing – just focus on it!
5. And if planning to fly...
Boost your immune system beforehand. Eat seven to nine portions of fruit
and vegetables per day for the two weeks before you travel. When we fly, we
are exposed to strangers in a confined space which may lead to coughs and
colds. Once in the air, avoid deep vein thrombosis risk by getting up and
walking around at least every 1-2 hours. In your seat you can do calf raises,
toe taps and knee lifts. Lastly, keep hydrated by drinking water to avoid
headaches.
6. And if you do go on holiday...
Enjoy food and booze in moderation. Does every meal have to be overly
indulgent? Do you really need to drink alcohol every day to have a good
time? Keep active - holidays are a good opportunity to walk, swim and cycle.
Enjoy the sun, but remember, lying in the sun for 10 minutes without sun
screen is all we need to replenish vitamin D levels. Past this we should always
use sunscreen or seek shade. Lastly, reflect. Try to think of one or two
changes you would like to make to improve your health when you return
home. Once you have your changes decided, list the actions and support
you need.
33
On the
brands
“”
We offer bespoke
service, expert
knowledge and a glass
of bubbly while you
pick your holiday.
Kuoni
Kuoni was established in 1906 in Switzerland by Alfred Kuoni, a visionary
adventurer and explorer of his time who opened some of Europe’s first travel
agencies. Today Kuoni has branch operations in more than 40 countries. For
107 years Kuoni has been creating holidays with a spirit of adventure. Kuoni
has come top of a Which? Recommended Provider survey, due to the
company’s reliability and ‘excellent customer care’; been voted World’s
Leading Tour Operator for 11 years in a row at the World Travel Awards; Britain’s
Favourite Tour Operator as voted by the readers of Ultra Travel and the Daily
Mail; and been voted Britain’s Best Longhaul Tour Operator by travel agents for
the past 29 years. Kuoni recently opened 22 new stylish travel stores across
the UK offering a new experience in travel retail with stylish décor,
complimentary Champagne, impeccable service and expert knowledge.
In 2012 John Lewis and Kuoni announced a new partnership which saw the
travel company open exciting new travel concessions in four of the retailer’s
shops in the Autumn with more to be rolled out from 2013. The Kuoni
concessions now open are at John Lewis Southampton, Oxford Street, Reading
and Cardiff. They offer the full range of holidays available from Kuoni.
Nuffield Health
Nuffield Health provides expert, joined-up healthcare defined by and
created for UK health consumers. They are the largest healthcare charity in
the UK, providing health services for over 50 years. They are independent of
government, have no shareholders and reinvest surplus to improve their
facilities or provide public health education. They provide access to 15,000
health experts through their 31 hospitals, 65 fitness & wellbeing centres, 200
corporate facilities and 20 medical clinics to help people get healthy and stay
healthy. Nuffield Health is an award-winning not-for-profit body, having won
Health Investor Social Enterprise of the Year in 2010 and Private Hospital
Group of the Year in 2011. Nuffield Health was recently named Best
Workplace Wellbeing Provider at the Health Insurance Awards.
34
So where
do we go
from here?
Kuoni Travel Ltd
Kuoni House
Dorking
Surrey
RH5 4AZ
UK
Fiona Harris
Public Relations
[email protected]
T +44 1306 744194
www.kuoni.co.uk/hhe
Nuffield Health
40-44 Coombe Road
New Malden
Surrey
KT3 4QF
UK
We’ve learnt that taking the right kind of holiday for you may lower your
stress levels, improve your resilience to stress and therefore improve your
mental and physical health. These affects may still be showing two weeks
after you return, especially if you implement lifestyle changes based on
decisions and life reflections made on holiday, when you get back.
Helen Cook
Public Relations
[email protected]
T +44 20 8329 6360
Both Kuoni and Nuffield Health were pleased by how accurately the
clinical tests mirrored what participants were experiencing in their lives.
This has given rise to discussion about how these tests could be used to
make our holidays even more bespoke, by tailoring holidays to your exact
physiology and emotional needs.
www.nuffieldhealth.co.uk/
holiday-health-experiment
For example, if your results reveal your sleep is poor and your stress levels
are high, maybe a holiday with a frantic itinerary or a working holiday
isn't for you. This might lead us to help you choose a beach holiday with lots
of time to relax in one place. If say, your partner’s stress and sleep
levels look in better shape, maybe we could choose a resort with excursions
and sports for your partner while you relax on the beach.
In the meantime we are concentrating even more on personal service and
getting to know our clients really well through contact in our growing retail
outlets to prescribe the right holiday.
Derek Jones, managing director at Kuoni, said: “We have 22 Kuoni stores across
the UK and another four inside John Lewis department stores. These are stylish
places to come and relax, enjoying a glass of complimentary Champagne and taking
the opportunity to get to know our Personal Travel Experts, find out where they
have travelled to and what destinations they recommend. Our hope is to build up
friendships face-to-face so we can get to know our customers and ‘prescribe’
a holiday perfect for them at this time in their life.”
The key take-home advice from The Holiday Health Experiment is to
combine dietary and lifestyle tips from Nuffield Health and psychotherapist
Christine Webber with regular holidays to boost long-term health and
recharge your batteries. Going on a holiday and implementing the changes
you have taken time to reflect on while away from your normal busy life,
could become the 21st century answer to preventive medicine.
Editor-in-chief Fiona Harris
Editor and writer Jeannette Hyde
Designer Nicholas Schmidt, Kuoni Global Design Team
Bibliography
Acharya, U; .Joseph, K; Kannathal, N.; Lim.; Suri, J. (2006).
Heart rate variability: a review. Medical and Biological
Engineering and Computing. 44: 1031-1051.
hh Antila et al. (2005). Associations of psychological selfassessments and heart rate variability in long-term
measurements at home. European Medical & Biological
Engineering Conference.
hh Kinnunen et al. (2006). Stress and relaxation based on heart
rate variability: Associations with self-reported mental strain
and differences between waking hours and sleep. Nordic
Ergonomics Society congress.
hh Myllymäki et al. (2012). Effects of exercise intensity and
duration on nocturnal heart rate variability and sleep quality.
European Journal of Applied Physiology. 112 (3): 801-809
hh Rönkä et al. (2006). The associations between physiological
recovery indicators during sleep and self-reported work
stressors. Nordic Ergonomics Society congress.
hh Rusko et al. (2006). Stress and relaxation during sleep and
awake time and their associations with free salivary cortisol
after awakening. Nordic Ergonomics Society congress.
hh The Family Holiday Association and Nottingham University
Business School Conference (2012) Holidays Matter: the
Evidence, the Impact, the Future. Case Study 3: the effect of
social tourism on subjective well-being.
hh Vanderlei, L.; Pastre, C.; Hoshi, R.; Carvalho, T; Godoy, M.
(2009). Basic notions of heart rate variability and its clinical
applicability. Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular.
hh
35
www.kuoni.co.uk/hhe
www.nuffieldhealth.co.uk/holiday-health-experiment

Revealed: how holidays help you live longer

Transcription

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